Occupant propelled roundabout



G. VLAHOV OCCUPANT PROPELLED ROUNDABOUT Jan. 9, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 e iii: :72 v

Filed Sept; 12, 1947 INVENTOR Gorge V/d/70V BY f fizzy Jan. 9, 1951 G. VLAHOV OCCUPANT PROPELLED ROUNDABOUT 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 12, 1947 IAZENTOR. EO/g? 0/701 BY ZW/WZ G. VLAHOV OCCUPANT PROPELLED ROUNDABOUT Jan. 9, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 12, 1947 mm: M, 3 9. 6 Z 3 E I H h INVENTOR.

d/"yc? V/a/vo 1/ lrllflllllldrfllhs I" WIIIIIIIIIIIII Patented Jan. 9, 195.v

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OCCUPANT PROPELLED ROUNDABOUT George Vlahov, Lynbrook, N. Y.

Application September 12, 1947, Serial No. 773,648

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to amusement devices of the type which rotate on a vertical axis after the manner of merry-go-rounds, and is best embodied in the form of seats suspended from a. rotative cross member or sweep arm that extends across the vertical axis and carries a seat in suspension from each end.

More particularly, the device is of the type which supplies the riders or occupant with means to develop a propelling force that will exert a torque on the device and so cause it to rotate. The propelling means include pedal units similar to bicycle pedals conveniently disposed with relation to each seat. Specifically, in accordance with the invention, the device is equipped with air propellers, one for each seat, all directed so as to produce torques in the same angular direction, and each operatively connected to one of the pedal units.

Preferably the seats are suspended from the cross member so that the attachment is rotatable on a horizontal axis, which will permit the seats to swing outward to an inclined plane under the influence of centrifugal force. The seats are so mounted as to be adjustable toward and away from the respective pedal units.

Simplicity and cheapness as well as strength being objects of the invention, the device is preferably made in large part of tubular members and conventional pipe fittings with a minimum of special parts. The embodiment illustrated in the drawings will now be described, following which the invention will be pointed out in claims.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional elevation on line 4-4 7 of Fig. 3. V

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail of the top end of the column and its immediately associated parts.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section of the gear box'and contents and associated parts, on the broken line 6-6 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the same on the line 1-7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a sectional plan of the same on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

As shown, the device has a central fixed supporting post or column I on which the rotative parts are supported and turn. A cross member 2 is shown as a straight tube disposed horizontally across the axis of the column I and extending equally in opposite directions therefrom and mounted so as to turn upon the axis of the column at a height from the ground sufiicient to accommodate the hanging seats hereinafter described. Manifestly the two-branching arms may be inclined to the horizontal.

For the purpose of rotation, this cross member is provided at its center with a right angle stub shaft 3 which bears in a ball bearing 4 in the top of the column I. A T-fitting 5 serves to attach the cross member 2 to its stub shaft 3, the member 2 extending through the tubular head of the fitting and being free to turn on its axis therein, and the upper enlarged end of the stub shaft being shown as extending into the tubular stem of the fitting and bolted thereto. The top of the column is closed by a cap 6. Also seated in a socket on the top of the fitting 5 is a vertical rod having'a ring in its upper end from which extend guy rods 8 attached to the ends of the cross member 2, as will hereinafter more particularly appear. Collars 5a are attached to the member 2 by set screws on opposite ends of the head of the fitting 5 to prevent relative longitudinal movement of the member 2.

It is thus evident that with proper balance the cross member 2 can easily be caused to turn on its bearing, under which condition the member functions as a sweep arm and is so referred to herein. To produce a torque for this purpose, the rotating member is provided with two air propellers, 9 and I0, one on each end and the two propellers facing in the same angular direction. These propellers and their mountings are duplicates, and, therefore, a description of one will be applicable to both.

Each propeller is mounted on the end of a propeller arm II which is suspended from the respective end of the cross member or sweep arm 2. The hanger for this suspension purpose consists of two T-fittings the stems of which are secured together by a nipple. The upper fitting I2 is disposed on the respective end of the cross member 2 and is free to turn thereon, and is constrained against relative longitudinal movement therein by a collar l3 on the cross member at the inner end of the fitting l2 and a cap [4 on the cross member at the outer end of the fitting. This cap [4 has a ring on its outer face to which the outer end of the respective guy rod 8 is attached, the cross member 2 being thus restrained from rotation upon its axis. Thus the ends of the cross member which carry the weight of the occupants, are braced.

The lower fitting l5 which receives the arm II is attached to the fitting [2 by a nipple [6 with its tubular head horizontal and at right angles to that of the fitting l2. The arm H fits into this fitting I5 at substantially midway of the ends of the arm and is free to turn in the fitting as a bearing. Collars l5a which are secured on the arm II by set screws at opposite ends of the tubular head of the fitting l5, restrain the arm II from relative longitudinal movement. l l

The propeller is mounted on the front end of the arm H for rotation upon the axis of the arm. For this purpose, in the construction shown, the front end of the arm II is screwed site end of this head is disposed a ball bearing [8 in which bears a stub shaft [9 on the outer end of which the hub of the propeller is secured against relative rotation. A cap nut 2| screws on the outer end of the stub shaft lit-and bears againstthe hub 20 and draws the hub of a bevel gear 22; which is secured on the inner end of the stub shaft, against the bearing l9 and thus secures the propeller assembly in its bearing.

Vertically depending from the fitting I1 is a tubular bearing member 23 of a length to extend within a short distance from the ground. For attachment, the upper end of the bearing. member is screw threaded and screws into the internally screw threaded stern of the fitting ll. Disposed at intervals within this tubular bearing member are ball bearings 24 in which bears a drive shaft 25 having on its upper end a bevel gear 26 in mesh with bevel gear 22, and having on its lower end a bevel'gear'2'l. These bevel gears on the, shaft 25 bear with their hubs against the end bearings 24 and thus position and restrain the shaft longitudinally.

Secured on the lower end of each tubular bearing member 23 is a gear box 28, the parts being proportioned so that the gear boxes clear the ground. As Shown, the gear box is screwed on to the lower end of the bearing member, a supplemental collar '29 with an internally screw threaded, neck and secured on the top of the box in-register with an opening in the box, "being provided for the purpose.

The box is relatively narrow in its transverse dimension and one of its side plates Bil 'is' removable. A transverse pedal shaft 3! bears in the box in bearings 32 one of which'is on the inner face of the removable. side '36 and the .other of which is on the inner face'of the opposing side. Hubs 33 are on the outerfaces of these two sides, and pedals 3 on the ends of the shaft 3i bear against the hubs '33 and hold the'shaft against longitudinal movement.

A gear 35 on the pedal shaft 3| meshes with a pinion 36 on a countershaftiii which also bears in ball bearings 38 on the inner faces of the sides of the box 28. Fixed on thisishaft 31 .is a bevel gear 39 which meshes with the bevel gear 21 on the lower end of drive shaft 25.

It is thus apparent that rotation of .thepedals at will drive shaftZis through gears s5, 36,39

and 21 at an increase in speed ratio, and that rotation of shaft 25 will produce rotation of the respective propeller through gears 26 and 22. ..-'Ihe rotation of the propeller by reaction against the air will produce a pull in the'direction of the arm I l a component of which exerts a torque on the cross member 2 about the axis of its shaft 3. Sufficiently rapid rotation will cause the members 23 and parts supported therebyto .swing out from centrifugal forceabout'the" axis 4 of the tubular bearings l5, as indicated by broken lines in Fig. 1.

A seat is provided for the comfort and convenience of the operators, in proximity to each pedal unit, and preferably the seat is made adjustable to accommodate operators of different size.

Asshown, the seats are attached to and supported by the gear bo'xe's. Bosses on the rear face of the gear box provide attachment sockets for two seat frame rods 40 which are disposed in the same vertical plane and rise vertically frorn the box and then are bent to provide a horizontal section. A seat 4! is disposed on the horizontal section and is provided with a spring back rest Q2, The seat is adjustably secured on the rods 46 by means of an adjustable socket member 4'! which has horizontal holes for fitting over the rods 40, and vertical holes for receiving apair ofseat pins 43that straddle the rods 40. The height of the seat is adjusted by regulating the extentto which the seat pins 43 are permitted to enter their sockets in the member 41. g

The resiliency of the rods 40 makes it desirable to support their outer ends. For this purpose, in the construction shown, the two outer ends of the rods to are joined by a vertical coupling member 4d, and the upper end of this is supported from the outer end of the arm II by a rod or chain 45 that loops with its lower 'end into a ring on the member 44 and with its upper end into a ringon a cap d6 on the end of the arm H.

It is manifest that thepropelling mechanisms may be other thantwo innumber, that the frame may be otherwise designed and assembled, and that many modifications may be made in the construction shown in the drawingsand above particularly described within the principle and scope of the invention as defined in the followingclaims.

What is claimedis:

1. An amusement device comprising a supporting column,'a sweep membercarried by and mounted at its center for rotation on the column, a transverse bearing directly mounted on each end of the sweep -member'and 'having :freedom of movement about the axis of the member, a propeller arm rotatably mounted in each-bearing and extending therefrom substantially at each end, a propeller carried by androtatable upon one end o f each-propeller arm-drive means on each propeller arm for the respective propeller, suspension means rigidly attached to ;and supported by eaehpropeller arrn'adjacent the drive means pedal operated meanssupported by the suspension means andoperatively connected; to the drive means, a seat, and means supportably attaching the seat to the suspension means and to the other end of the propeller arm.

2. An amusement device comprising-a supporting column, a sweep member carried by and mounted at its center for, rotation -on thecolumn a transverse bearing directlymounted-on each end of the sweep member and having freedom of movement about theaxis of the member, a propeller arm rotatably mounted in each bearing and extending therefrom substantially at each end, a propeller carried by and rotatable upon one end of each propeller arm, a drive gear for each propeller carried by the propeller arm, a hollow tube rigidly attached'to and depending from the propellerarm adjacent the drive gear,

pedal-operated geaiing'in the-gear box,'-a.ssh'aft 5 1n the tube operatively connecting the drive gear UNITED STATES PATENTS and the gearing in the gear box, a seat, and Number Name Date means supportably attaching the seat to the gear 548 450 Norcross Oct 22 1895 box and to the other end of the propeller arm. 1 068852 Brock July 1913 GEORGE VLAHOV. 5

FOREIGN PATENTS REFERENCES CITED Number Country Date The following references are of record in the 428,255 France Mar. 10, 1911 file of this patent: 

